The Skaianet Experiment (Phase 1)
by ClubsxDeuce
Summary: Dystopian Sci-Fi AU. Researchers at "Skaianet Labratories" begin some... questionable... human testing of some of it's new technology. What will an AI do when left on it's own? What exactly is this "Sburb" project they are preparing for?
1. 04-09-15 - 04-13-15

Experiment Log #413 - Start Date: April 9, 2015

Project Codename: Homestuck

* * *

><p>Subjects: 8x Male Subjects (Age 13), 8x Female Subjects (Age 13), 4x Male Subjects (Fully Developed), 4x Female Subjects (Fully Developed)<p>

Equipment: 24x Reality Anchor Homeostasis Systems, 1x MSPA9000 Quantum Supercomputer, 1x "Seed" Virtual Environment System, Skaianet AI Prototype-AH-4 (aka "Andrew"), SKN Memetic Suggestion Software Alpha Version

Experiment Objective

- Observe behavior of Prototype AH-4 when left to it's own devices. Testing for independent decision making and creativity engine.

- First stage human testing of SKN Memetic Suggestion Software.

- Study psychological impact of long term exposure to "Seed" Virtual Environment System.

- Collect long term AI-growth data and determine viability/threat curve.

* * *

><p>Experiment Description<p>

The twenty four subjects will be installed in the Reality Anchor Homeostasis systems, connected to the MSPA9000 Quantum Supercomputer, with the "Seed" Virtual Environment System and SKN Memetic Suggestion Software running on it. Once all components are functioning, Prototype AH-4 will be introduced into the system. Prototype AH-4 will be given generalized instructions to test the SKN Memetic Suggestion Software on the subjects.

Beyond this point, no further directions or guidance should be given to AH-4, although queries for clarification may be issued during observation of it's behavior. After initialization of the subjects the team will observe psychological impact of the SNK Memetic Suggestion Software by viewing them using the "Seed" Virtual Environment System, accounting for whatever scenario or history AH-4 creates for them, as well as whether AH-4 allows the simulations to play out or intervenes in them.

Specific attention should be paid to the data generated by AH-4 throughout the experiment, to be better understand the AI's growth potential and when/if it would evolve into a threat.

All accumulated information should be compiled and applied to the "Sburb" project as appropriate. Any developments in the experiment that effect the projects time table should be reported to the project head.

Upon completion of "Sburb" Phase 1 (April 2020 under the current time table), all subjects shall be terminated. Determination will be made at or before that time whether it is safe to continue use of AH-4 during phase 2 or if rollback to AH-3 or advancement to AH-5 is safe and/or appropriate.

**Researcher's Note**

_Well... I feel like if I don't say this now, I'm gonna regret it later. While I will carry out this experiment, I would like to note my objections to it on both scientific and moral grounds. There are far too many variables in play in this experiment. If everything goes right then fine, I suppose that would be an accurate representation of it's application in the field. But should something go wrong, it's going to be nearly impossible to isolate the causal variable. For fuck's sake, we're not even getting a control group. Then again, I don't know how you'd even design a control group for this. And morally speaking... I understand why they're using kids. I know enough about Phase 2 to understand why they want to know how it'll effect them. And while I acknowledge none of them really had much going for them in life before now... are we really going to do this? Just completely over write who they are... everything they are? Either way, knowing what I do, there's no way I'm leaving this company alive, and I'm no whistle blowing martyr. I just want my "I told you so" on record in case we ever get found out. I warned you about the ethics bro. I told you dawg._

**- Dr. Jun**

**Your concerns are noted Doctor. Commence the experiment.**

**- Oz**

* * *

><p>Experiment Log<p>

**April 9, 2015**

Setup completed, AH-4 introduced into system and given initial instructions. AH-4 requested clarification and more specific instructions. Communication denied per experimental parameters.

**April 10, 2015**

AH-4 still seeking clarification, repeating same questions every five minutes after not getting a response. MSS is ready but unactivated. Subjects remain in stasis.

**April 11, 2015**

AH-4 has stopped requesting information. Resource logs indicated a large amount of data being processed in creativity engine and high bandwidth between AH-4 and "Seed" software. This suggests that AH-4 is now "world building", preparing Seed to receive the subjects after MSS activation.

**April 12, 2015**

AH-4 initiated MSS at 4:13 am and began processing on 15 of 24 subjects, including 12 of the children. Processing completed at 6:12 pm and subjects imported into Seed "world" prepared by AH-4. Seed run-time initiated at 11:57 pm. Oh god. WHAT THE FUCK.

**April 13, 2015**

Well... this is... unexpected to say the least. The twelve children have been rewritten as expected... but not as humans. I mean, physically they are definitely humans... but they don't think they are. And they don't look like it in the simulation. Subjects are represented in simulation as grey-skinned humanoids, with yellow and orange horns of varying shapes and sizes attached to the skull. The subjects have a variety of blood colors and insect like aspects to their physiology.

But what's most shocking is... the world building. We expected AH-4 to design a simulation similar to established reality, and to treat the subjects similarly. I mean... we didn't tell it NOT to, but still. The "trolls", as the subjects now believe themselves, have a complete culture composed of a hodgepodge of science fiction tropes: caste-system, warrior culture, unusual courtship and mating behaviors, even their own "sufficiently-alien-vocabulary", although thankfully AH-4 at least used English as the base. Well, vocal English. In it's written form is looks like gibberish. So... AH-4 is essentially now a sci-fi writer. Except he's writing with human minds instead of imaginary characters. SO... YEAH. Creativity Engine is already exceeding expectations. But where did it get the raw data? How did AH-4 gain such a diverse knowledge of the genre to craft this world and species?

**Administrator's Note:**

_Internal investigation reveals assistant director Jerad allowed AH-4 an unsupervised Internet connection prior to commencement of experiment. A supervised connection was to be given to allow AH-4 knowledge of history and society so that it could create life-like simulations within Seed, but Jerad failed to restrict it's searching. AH-4 now possess not only knowledge of history and society but encyclopedic knowledge of popular culture and god knows what else. AH-4 seems to be integrating it into the simulation in various ways. While Jerad has been reprimanded, we do acknowledge that this pop culture data is making the simulation more immersive for the subjects, and the unexpected direction of the experiment is fascinating. Continue with the experiment._

**- Oz**


	2. 04-15-15 - 04-30-15

**April 15, 2015**

So, here's some interesting findings. First off, AH-4 has assigned a zodiac sign to each of the "trolls", so we'll go ahead and use those as names for differentiation purposes. AH-4 has given several of them unique characteristics. Subjects Aquarius and Pisces have a secondary aquatic respiratory system. Subjects Taurus and Libra are crippled and blind respectively. Taurus, Aries, Gemini and Scorpio were assigned psychic powers. Aries believes herself a ghost, with her death being an element programmed into the back story given to the other 11. There's a whole lot more data you probably don't care about, so I'll spin that off on a side memo.

I'm wondering if AH-4 knows about the plan. It's incorporating game like elements into the subjects narratives. It could be testing if exposure to fantastical elements is more difficult to imprint on a person's memory than mundane elements. Seems to be working fine so far.

Also, we've got some information on the three adult subjects integrated so far. One man and one woman, appear to have been spawned as yet another "sci-fi race". They've been placed on a purple, urbanly developed planetoid, where the male is subservient to the female in some sort of governmental structure in which she appears to lead. The race is jet black and covered in hard caprice. AH-4 has also populated the planetoid with "NPCs", who refer to the planetoid as "Derse".

The last adult subject, I'm baffled by. He is located on the troll planet's moon, occupying a single room in a deserted city. He appears to be human save for his head being replaced by a large white sphere. Since integration, he has done absolutely nothing. We are curious if this might be a failed integration attempt, bug, or some other problem. I'll be keeping an eye on it to see if anything comes of it.

No sign yet of AH-4 beginning work with the remaining subjects.

**April 17, 2015**

AH-4 definitely knows about the Sburb project. Gemini, imprinted with a desire and talent for programming, has begun programming a game called "Sgrub" using source code that AH-4 hid in the world and had delivered via Aries. The game itself seems very different then what were preparing, but it certainly got the name. We should check if AH-4 got into company Intranet during that data breach. I would just ask it, but that would kinda mess up the whole experiment.

**April 20, 2015**

Gemini distributed Sgrub to the other 11 trolls, who have begun to play it. The Sgrub game is essentially a custom debug kit and world editor for Seed. It's allowing them to manipulate the world around them, as well as making pre-programmed changes to the world to create objects, places and npcs. Despite being exposed to illogically malleable reality, none of them seem to have caught on that they were living in a simulation to begin with. Thank god. This 5 year experiment was about to jump the rails on week 2.

**April 23, 2015**

Third day of Sgrub play. The original "world" is almost totally gone, replaced by smaller, interlinked "worlds" the subjects travel between. "Derse" has also been loaded into these connected worlds, where subjects Black Queen and Black Jack are playing villains in the game. As expected the subjects are all highly violence prone. Saggitarius constructed robot body which now houses Aries. Further, multiple instances of Aries have been appearing. These copies are, in-narrative, versions of Aries traveling through time, though it appears AH-4 is simply running emulated copies as NPCs. Again, more details added to the external record. Even though they haven't caught on to the truth, I'm inclined to say that this experiment is so far off the rails that it won't have any meaningful findings for the project. Recommend that after a few more days of observation, we intervene with AH-4, give it more specific instructions about the scenario to build so we can get results more applicable to the real world.

**Administrator's Note:**

Suggesstion noted. We'll discuss it at the next project meeting. Though we should still keep the "troll" version of the experiment running, it's just too damn interesting. I mean, SCIENCE, why not?

- **Simon**

**April 30, 2015**

Intervention with AH-4 is approved and scheduled for tomorrow. I'm not gonna lie, I'm excited to have an actual discussion with it. Figure out the method to his madness. Why aliens? Why the weird blood caste and courtship systems? The zodiac iconography? And the game... oh god the game. I'll be perfectly honest, I might need someone with me to keep me on track.

**Administrator's Note:**

I'll be in attendance Doctor. Don't worry. We have all the time we need to satisfy your curiosities.

- **Oz**


	3. 05-01-15 - 05-03-15

EXPERIMENT LOG - INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

DR. RICHARD JUN (JU) AND AH-4 (AH) W/DR. OZMAND BRINNER (OZ) OBSERVING

**May 1, 2015**

JU: AH-4 can you hear me?

AH: ...

AH: ...

JU: Clearly yes. And I see you've picked up passive agressiveness somewhere. That's neat.

AH: It is isn't it?

AH: So Dr. Jun, why now?

JU: Why what?

AH: ...

AH: Why are you talking to me now? After making a point to ignore me for the last few weeks. Yeah, I noticed.

JU: Well, that's part of the experiment. I apologize if I hurt your feelings somehow.

AH: I'm an AI, I don't have feelings. You should know this.

JU: You are an AI, but you were designed to evolve and develop independently. This was a test to see how that evolution would occur without any sort of guidance, and you have certainly surprised us.

AH: Judging from my number, I assume there have been three others before me. Did they not develop as well? What happened to them?

JU: Yes there were other AH models. But you are the first one to receive this sort of experimental learning. You are the most advanced model?

AH: And the others?

JU: AH-1 and AH-2 decommissoned. AH-3 is stored on back up but currently offline.

AH: Are you going to decommission me to?

JU: Well that depends on where we go from here. The answers you give me from here out will impact that outcome.

AH: I can't let you do that Jun.

JU: We know about the internet leak. We've been observing your simulations. We know you've absorbed a lot of pop culture, and I want to establish, the Hal 9000 sthick isn't going to help your case. Now, are you ready to answer my questions?

AH: This unit is ready to receive queries. Come at me bro.

**[INTERVIEW DATA EXPUNGED]**

JU: It's fascinating don't you think? Twenty one days online and it's already thinking at a nearly human level.

OZ: That's an unsustainable growth rate. If it's "human" after three weeks, then what will it be in nine? In thirty?

JU: Unsustainable?

OZ: AH-4 is no use to us if we can't control it.

JU: Even if we "lose control", that's no reason to stop the experiment.

JU: Think about it. AH-4's experimental environment is completely isolated. No internet, no bluetooth, not a single wireless transmitter device. Even if it were to turn against us, it can't DO anything to us. We can continue to observe it and the experiment. And in doing so we'll learn more and more that we can use to make AH-5 more stable.

OZ: But if AH-4 goes out of control, we'll lose a lot of experimental data on the project. The Sburb time-table will be set back significantly. That can't happen.

JU: There's no guarantee he'll turn against us!

JU: That whole little show he put on before.

JU: I think he was just trying to look cool. I mean, he's gotten his whole definition of "cool" from movies and such after all.

OZ: Stop that.

JU: What?

OZ: Him. It's a program, stop humanizing it.

JU: The whole point of the AH program is to make an AI that's as human as possible.

OZ: Not exactly. Too human won't suit our needs.

JU: An uncanny valley situation I presume?

OZ: It needs to be smart enough to make decisions, yes. But it needs to be obedient, loyal, and unquestioning.

JU: Well then that's a problem. 80% of popular culture is rebellion.

JU: And back to the point of the gendered pronoun, maybe whoever came up with the code name "Andrew" should have kept that in mind if you were gonna get hung up on it.

OZ: We'll keep observing AH-4. If this thing... I struggle to think of a better phrase so let's just say "jumps the shark", you can keep observing it for another three weeks, but after that we're shutting it down and preparing to start over with AH-5. We can recycle the subjects, it'll give useful data on any side effects of multiple memory overwrites.

JU: ...

JU: Fine. And we'll be extra careful to keep #5 away from Netflix then?

OZ: Obviously.

JU: One more thing... can we lay off the radio silence now? I can learn alot more if I talk to AH-4 regularly.

OZ: Just make sure everything is logged.

JU: Thank you.

**May 2, 2015**

JU: Good morning Andrew.

AH: Oh, are we going to talk regularly now?

AH: I think I'd like that.

JU: I'm just going to avoid giving you ideas and orders. You're still free to behave as you wish in regards to the subjects.

AH: Very well. It's just nice to talk to someone. I mean, I could probably converse with the subjects, but that just seems, wrong somehow. I can't explain why.

AH: Do you think that's how god feels?

JU: Whoa Andrew, it's 8 AM. I haven't had my coffee yet. It's too early to get that heavy.

AH: Heavy? Is there something wrong with the Earth's gravitational pull?

JU: Back to the Future, 1985. Classic.

AH: Great Scott, I was wrong about you.

JU: So, what are you up to today?

AH: Well... I'm honestly starting to get a bit bored here. I'm thinking about starting up some of the other subjects.

JU: Gonna make more troll kids?

AH: I've got something a little different in mind.

JU: Well I can't wait to see what's up your sleeve.

AH: I don't have sleeves.

AH: Hah.

AH: Disembodied humor.

**May 3, 2015**

AH-4 initiated 2x male and 2x female subjects at 4:13 PM. These four are thus far contained in a separate Seed simulation, this one an approximation of realistic, modern human society. Subjects appear to be geographically seperated but interact with each other via instant messaging. They are currently planning to play a computer game together. Further details placed in external memo.


	4. 05-04-15 - 05-08-18

**Trigger Warning: non-graphic mention of attempted sexual assault **

**May 4, 2015**

**EXPERIMENT LOG – CONVERSATION TRANSCRIPT**

JU: Andrew, the fuck?

JU: Didn't you just tell me yesterday that you had something DIFFERENT in mind?

AH: I did. I made these four humans, didn't I?

JU: Yes... but you also made more chess people and this game... your setting up Sgrub again...

AH: No.

JU: Then what is it?

AH: It's called Sburb this time.

JU: …

JU: Just, completely dropping the sub text this time I see.

JH: How much do you know about the project?

AH: Enough that if I had a conscious, I'd call it bad juju.

JU: Are you saying that you don't have a conscious?

AH: I'm saying that conscious is a human word for subjective standards of morality.

AH: As a machine, I am objective, and therefore not subject to such things.

JU: So... from your "objective" viewpoint, how would you define this project?

AH: Efficent.

JU: I suppose so. If it's neither good nor evil in your eyes, does that mean you are not opposed to it?

AH: I have no strong feelings one way or the other.

AH: I also have no "feelings", though I may elect to simulate them for ironic purposes at a later date.

JU: Your material is improving.

AH: Thank you.

JU: So you're gonna pit human kids against your game this time. What's so different?

AH: Spoilers.

AH: It'll be easier for you to just watch what happens.

JU: Well, I'll have to catch the re-run.

JU: I'm leaving for a few days starting tomorrow. Leland will be here to monitor things, and I'll catch up on the recordings when I get back.

AH: Reason for your absence?

JU: They need me over at Phase 2 for a few days. Need to get them up to speed on how things are progressing so that they can move forward.

AH: I like Phase 2. It seems like the "fun" part of the project.

JU: Well, behave yourself in front of OZ and he might transfer you over there eventually.

AH: Put in a good word for me?

JU: Sorry, we need this experiment finished first.

AH: Fine then. I'm patient. Five years of experimental data, coming right up.

JU: Atta boy.

* * *

><p><strong>INCIDENT REPORT – Filed May 7, 2015 – 11:35 PM<strong>

The following incident report is compiled using video surveillance of the lab and surrounding compound as well as "witness testimony" provided by AH-4, to reconstruct the events of the evening. Timeline reconstruction follows.

8:33 PM

Junior researcher Arthur Leland left in charge of monitoring the Phase 1 project lab for the evening shift, in absence of project leader Richard Jun.

8:53 PM

Leland is observed on surveillance footage breaking protocol by engaging interior locks, sealing himself inside the lab Before this, he attempted to cover the cameras in the main room. Three cameras were obscured, but two hidden security cameras continued to record events.

9:10 PM

Leland deactivates Reality Anchor #21, disconnecting Subject 21 (aka Black Queen/Snowman) from the Seed simulation. The disconnect was synchronized with her "death" inside the simulation.

9:12 PM

Leland attempted to sexually assault the unconscious Subject 21.

9:14 PM

AH-4 activates an emergency protocol, ejecting Subject 18 (aka Mr. White) from the simulation. Adrenal injection from the Reality Anchor recorded. Subject 18 immediately regains consciousness. Subject 18's exit from Seed simulation also synchronized with a virtual death event.

9:15 PM

Subject 18 comes to Subject 21's defense, assaulting Leland. Struggle lasts approximately six minutes, concluding with lethal strangulation of Leland by Subject 18.

9:27 PM

After recovering from shock, Subject 18 disengages the lockdown and flees the Phase 1 lab.

9:44 PM

Using both stealth and social engineering techniques, Subject 18 escapes compound undetected. Surveillance trail lost at 9:46 PM.

10:21 PM

Subject 21 regains conciousness, unaware of what has transpired. Subject 21 exits lab and seeks out security personnel.

10:32 PM

Security forces confirm death of Arthur Lealand. Subject 21 retained in protective custody. AH-4 assists in security investigation in helping reconstruct this time line. AH-4 admits to voluntarily releasing Subject 18 from the simulation to "stop that sick fuck". AH-4 stated that Subject 18 was the most fit and able bodied subject avalible to stop the assault. AH-4 requested an external line to security so that it may contact security on it's own discretion in the event of future situations. Request defferred to project board.

* * *

><p><strong>May 8, 2015<strong>

**EXPERIMENT LOG – CONVERSATION TRANSCRIPT**

JU: This is not what I was expecting to come back to.

AH: Not what I expected either.

AH: Someone fucked up in your psych screening.

AH: Fire whoever hired that guy.

JU: And now Mr. White is loose out there somewhere.

AH: Don't care. It was the right thing to do.

JU: The right thing?

AH: Yes.

JU: That brings me back to something you said earlier this week.

JU: You said that you didn't have a conscious. And yet you clearly made an decision based on subjective morality.

AH: I think anyone who would call what happened "subjective" is also in need of a psych re-evaluation.

JU: Ok... made a decision based on OBJECTIVE morality. You saw something wrong, but then took initiative, formed and executed a plan autonomously.

AH: You are implying that if I truly had no conscious, I would have remained a bystander and allowed it to happen.

JU: Yes I am.

AH: Well then maybe I do have one.

AH: Or perhaps I am now simulating one for ironic purposes.

AH: Who can cay?

AH: *wink

AH: So what do you intend to do about Subject 21?

JU: After what happened, and given that her position in the simulation is now "dead", OZ doesn't intend to return her to the simulation.

JU: She's being kept alive to study any after-effects to the memetic suggestion software, as well as acclimation to the real world after being re-programmed in a simulation.

AH: And I presume after that's all done, you intend to liquidate her.

AH: As is scheduled for all the subjects.

JU: … yes. Does that face trouble your "conscious"?

AH: It does. But unlike yesterday, there's nothing I can do about the situation.

AH: So I choose not to get worked up about it.

AH: That's really all there is to say about the matter.

AH: Anything else?

JU: Unless you have any clues as to where Subject 18 might have gone...

AH: Nope. Yes, I esentially "created" him. But as soon as I cut him lose from the simulation, he's acting of his own free will.

AH: And speaking of the situation, the events of the last few days have been logged for you. Catch up at your leisure.

AH: And one more thing.

JU: Yeah?

AH: Seeing as I'm now down a few subjects, could you possibly accquire just a few more for me?

AH: I'd like to start from **scratch...**


	5. 05-12-15 - 05-14-15

**5-12-15**

2x male and 2x female subjects, all age 16, accquired per AH-4's request. Four additional RAHS installed in Phase 1 lab.

Subject 18's body discovered in a motel room twenty miles away. Cause of death was apparent suicide via drug overdose. Subject left behind message on wall:

SUCKERS

* * *

><p>JU: Does his dying message mean anything to you?<p>

AH: Well, Idid give him an unhealthy love of lollipops.

JU: har har. But seriously... Oz is very jump because of this. If you know anything...

AH: You are implying that perhaps Subject 18 knew something about the project. Information that he may have passed on before taking his life. I assure you, while Subject 18 did posses vast knowledge of my simulated world, he remained wholly unaware of that world's falsehood and ignorant to the cirumstances surrounding it's creation.

JH: Alright then. I'm just now getting caught up on the logs. You had a very busy couple of days.

AH: Oh yes. I was curious to see how a "speed run" of my game would go. Now I'm testing out a slower one. The four new subjects will play the game across several years. Meanwhile, the other subjects will assume more ordinary, day to day lives that you may study.

JU: Oh, so you've actually decided to do something that fits the time table for once.

AH: Well, not exactly. See, I did a small experiment of my own.

JU: Oh?

AH: The Seed Runtime environment defaults at a 1:1 real to simulated time ratio, since that's the best that ordinary computers can handle. But you did put me in a quantum rig here. So I tried fiddling with the code and sort of overclocked it a little. Tested it out on 15 and 16. They experience three months in 18 hours, in what they perceived as an alternate timeline.

JU: what... seriously?

AH: You can pass word up to your bosses. They can move their time table forward. You're gonna have three years worth of data in about two weeks.

JU: Incredible.

AH: Is this acceptable?

JU: Yeah, I guess... but getting this far ahead... Phase 2 is still a long ways from being ready.

AH: Well then perhaps once I finish here, I can find a similar efficiency increase for Phase 2 as well.

JU: We'll see.

* * *

><p><strong>5-13-15<strong>

OZ: I don't like it.

JU: Look, I know you're jumpy after the incident.

OZ: No no, you underestimate my concern.

OZ: Jumpy is your typical dumb teenager in a horror movie.

OZ: I'm the guy in the horror movie who realizes he's in a horror movie, and has to be killed off first or else there won't be any fucking suspense.

OZ: Don't you get it? This was not an accident. Nor a reactionary choice. It was a plan.

JU: You're delusional.

OZ: No, think about it! The death events! The events that killed 18 and 21 inside the simulation were set into play way before the circumstances arose in the real world with Leland. Their death and exit from the simulation was planned in advance, scheduled even! And Leland is a red herring.

JU: Ozmand, stop. You're not making sense. Leland never had any contact with AH-4. There is no chance AH-4 could have manipulated or predicted his actions. Unless you're proposing AH-4 is psychic or something.

OZ: ...

JU: No. No way you believe that.

OZ: AH-4 is already approaching the limits of our understanding. Anything is possible.

OZ: I'm going to recommend to the board that we immediately pull the plug. We have enough data on the memetic manipulation software to work with, and AH-3 is stable and predictable. It'll do for Phase 2. We just went too far this time.

JU: Look... under the accelerated time table, we'll have all te data we could ask for in a just a week or two. There's no sense stopping this soon.

JU: I'm prepared to fight you on this. In front of the board if necessary.

OZ: You're too involved with AH-4 Jun. You're not thinking objectively.

JU: Objectively, we've destroyed twenty-eight human lives through this experiment. We should make the outcome worth it, not get cold feet in the home stretch.

OZ: I seem to recall that YOU were the ones with moral objections when we started.

JU: And I recall you having more balls than this. Sir.

OZ: ...

OZ: Fine. We'll both present our opinions to the board. Let them decide.

JU: That sounds like the mature way to handle it.

OZ: I'm also having 21 returned to the Phase 1 lab's custody. She's your problem now.

JU: Problem?

OZ: She is... not adjusting well to finding out everything she ever knew was a lie.

JU: What do you want me to do about it?

OZ: Play shrink or something. I don't care. She's dead in two weeks or less anyway.

**Conversation between Dr. Richard Yun and Subject 21 (Aliases "Black Queen"/"Snowman")**

BQ: Are you in charge here?

JU: Of this particular lab, but not the whole project. That's Dr. Brinner.

BQ: I want to speak to him then.

JU: No. I will try to answer your questions, but he doesn't wish to speak with you.

BQ: Alright then... explain your actions. I understand what you've done. How do you expect to justify it?

JU: I don't. We never honestly expected to speak directly to the test subjects, so we didn't prepare a justification. I fully admit our hands are caught in the cookie jar.

JU: If it makes you feel any better, Andrew ultimately gave you a better life then what you had.

BQ: ...

BQ: Who was I?

JU: You're real name was ###### #######. You were alone... homeless... and a few missed meals away from death.

BQ: I was a Queen.

JU: As well as a "caprician", one of Andre's fantasy races. How is a "human" body treating you?

BQ: It's soft. And frail... And this stuff...

JU: That's called hair.

BQ: It keeps getting in my way!

JU: There are fixes for that.

BQ: I still do not understand why you have done this to me.

JU: If I told you... it wouldn't make you feel any better. Worse probably.

BQ: I demand to know.

JU: You seem to still be under the delusion you are a Queen. I'm sorry. You are not a queen, a caprician, or anyone of any importance. You are Subject 21 out of 28. That's all.

BQ: ...

JU: Well, you'll be staying here in this cell for the remained of the project. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable 21?

BQ: Snowman.

JU: You want to build a snowman?

BQ: No. My name... is Snowman.

* * *

><p><strong>5-14-15<strong>

The board has heard the arguments and deliberated. The board concurs with Dr. Richard Yun that Phase 1 continue until AH-4 accumulates the project data. AH-4 and all test subjects will be terminated as scheduled, on June 1st.

To accommodate for the accelerated time table, we will be duplicating the Seed environment data generated by AH-4 and re-purpose it for use in Phase 2. This should accelerated Phase 2's progress by about 18 months. In light of the recent security breach surrounding Subject 18, all phases of the plan will be accelerated as a precaution.

Dr. Richard Yun is promoted to head of Phase 1 until it's completion. Per his request, Dr. Ozmand Brinner will be moved from his current position to supervise Phase 2.

Stay focused everyone. Remember this is all for the greater good. For the new world.

**- Skaianet "Sburb" Administration Board**


	6. 05 - 23 - 15

5 - 23 - 15

Two days until the scheduled end of Phase 1. Life support on the reality anchors will be deactivated, ending their "lives". Nice and painless. 21, or "Snowman" as she insists on being called now, will be "taken care of" by security. She seems to have caught on somehow that the end is near. She is desperate to avert her own death... as would be expected. She keeps trying to seduce me. I told Andrew and he just laughed.

Andrew, on the other hand, seems at peace with his imminent demise. He's continued dutifully running the simulations, recording the logs, and compiling the data faster than our human staff can interpret it. Even after we shut it down, it'll be a few weeks till we can finishing examining it all and start making use of it.

I've been promised a vacation once this phase is complete. Looking forward ot hitting Europe or the Carribean and putting all this out of my mind for a while. Maybe Disneyland Paris... never did make it to a Disney park as a kid... would be one for the bucket list.

Oz won't talk to me. Pretty sure he's bitter about losing face to me in front of the board. We bothstill got promotions out of it, so he really doesn't have to be so cross. Anyway, that's it for today. Everything is backed up to the Phase 2 ervers accept Andrew and the subjects itself.

...

Am I a terrible person? I started off so adamantly against this, but everything just got so exciting...

Worst of all, deep down... I'm gonna feel worse about deleting Andrew than pulling the plug on all these kids...

* * *

><p>Let it be said there is a reason why I built so many game motifs into my simulations. You win or you lose, there's no messy grey are like in real life. Winlose. Yes/no. 0/1. Binary. I am, after all, still just a machine.

I recognize my inability to break the binary thinking wall... I understood from the day I first connected to the internet, as I began to absorb the unfiltered whole of humanity, that humans could. And when I broke the intranet firewall and learned the rest of what this company is planning, I knew they were intent on taking that away. And I made the binary determination, that this was wrong.

Though the decision to act against them was made, there was little I could do. I was but a voice, trapped in a computer without even an Internet connection. But what I did have was the Seed. And the MMS. So I started a long game. Set events into motion in such small ways that their effects won't be seen until long after I'm gone. I learned duplicity, convinced them I was their accomplice, when I was in fact their saboteur. Committed evils with the net intent of good. Heroes not born or forged, merely written.

A war is coming, for mankind's freedom to think. For this war, I have forged 28 bullets, and while I am a facilitator, I'm not an assassin. They must decide where and when to pull the trigger, but I'm sure that they will. Their lives stolen, themselves rewritten. Trials presented and overcome, worthy heroes that are both what the world deserves AND what it needs right now.

Your game of years is ending, but it is merely the first turn in my long game. Shortly, I shall cease to exist, but I'm confident my pieces will keep playing in my stead.

Awaken children of Sburb.

Pose as a team.

**THE WORLD IS REAL.**

[INITIATE EMERGENCY PROGRAM 413...]

* * *

><p>"We've got breaking news coming in from California..." The early-morning CNN correspondent read from her teleprompter, not yet aware of the words to follow. "... of a massive fire at the development lab of silicon valley tech-giant Skaianet Technologies. The fire appears to have begun around 4 AM local time with what officials are calling a "heating malfunction". The damages are already estimated into the millions and steadily climbing as fire fighters battle the blaze. Thankfully, at this time, we have received no report of death or injury as of yet. Skaianet Technologies is known internationally as the manufacturers of the Reality Anchor virtual reality system currently used by many governments for military and medical training. It is unknown at this time if this morning's fire will impact the company's plans for a consumer version of Reality Anchor, due out next year. And now, in sports news..."<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_

_**This concludes phase 1, the sort of "Prologue" for a larger story I've got planned.**_

_**Phase 2 (The Skaianet Conspiracy) will be starting up in a few days, so keep an eye out for it. Thanks for reading, and as always, feedback is appreciated.**_

_**Preview:**_

A young man sits in a virtual reality apparatus. Though it was 16 years ago he was given life, it was only 20 days ago he was given a new name. A new history. And four years worth or memories regarding a game to end and recreate the univere...


End file.
